Tit
for Tat
I was eating jhal muri with some friends of mine at
the Malibagh turning when a beggar came by to ask for some money.
He was rather old and was pleading us to give him one taka.
He also offered to pray for us in return. I was in a mocking
mood and told him, “I don't have any money but I'm sure that
you have some. Why don't you pay my rickshaw fare.” Eventhough
I was only joking the beggar took me seriously and gave me one
taka, which he already had in his hand. I went on with my joke
and said that my rickshaw fare would come to Tk.12. The old
man started to grope about in his dirty old bag and came up
with Tk.12 in old and somewhat tattered notes. He then handed
the money over to me and walked off. I was amused but was certain
that the beggar would return at any moment to claim back his
money. He never did. I noticed him in the distance as he was
walking away and guilt took over me. I ran up to him and gave
him his money back along with a little extra. He simply smiled.
I guess the joke was really on me.
Rokan,
East Goran, Khilgaon
Caugh
in
the Act
I
was returning home after my tuition when I noticed a large crowd
as Bakshi Bazaar Alia Madrasha gate. The crowd was beating a
small boy, hardly nine years old. The boy was screaming in pain
and had tears all over his face. I came to know that the little
boy was a pick-pocket. He was caught red handed and was heavily
paying the price. I wondered if the boy really was guilty. The
people around were laughing and cheering on the others who were
busy kicking the boy like a football. I was not too sure if
the boy would live through all this commotion. It is very easy
to take out all our frustrations and anger on a weak little
boy but what courage do we really show when it comes to punishing
the real criminals of our country?
Md.
Mahabubur Rahman, Shere-Bagla Hall, BUET
Unlawful
Lawmen
A couple of
weeks back, I was on a bus passing by Bangla-Motor. I was stuck
there in a jam. I was aimlessly looking around when my attention
was on a police van with some policemen around it. There were
about five of them looking here and there. Suddenly, two of
them went over to a mobile vendor, a small boy about ten years
old, who was selling bananas by the footpath. First, I saw them
ask something to the little boy and then, they suddenly lifted
his basket and put it in the police van. The little boy was
franticvally going to-and-fro but to no avail. He seemed totally
lost and was totally outnumbered by all the 'mastaans' in uniform.
The last thing that the boy could do was to fall to the feet
of one of the policemen, but the policeman was cruel enough
to trample on his fingers. It was very pathetic to see the little
boy so helpless and all the policemen enjoying the situation.
The banana basket could be the little boy whole life earnings.
The people around didn't seem much bothered either. My shock
and anger ended abruptly as my bus started to move and the incident
was left behind me.
Md.
Jabed Amin, Khilkhet
